


Beginnings

by define_serenity



Category: Dollhouse
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Mindwiping, Possibly Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-05-18
Updated: 2009-05-18
Packaged: 2018-03-31 17:00:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3985885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/define_serenity/pseuds/define_serenity
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It starts with five simple words. I will never hurt you.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Beginnings

It starts with a plea for help.

Echo’s.

She wants to find what once got lost. But not gone. They’re not gone, they’re still there, somewhere, and she’s determined to lay bare what hides underneath.

She trusts him to help her.

She trusts him with her life. 

She doesn’t even need to be imprinted to know that.

 

.

 

It starts with five simple words. 

I will never hurt you. 

It’s almost as if she imprints with his voice, the layers of speech patterns programming her with new truths, deeper truths than the ghosts in the machine can ever make her believe. 

 

.

 

It starts with a kiss.

Not a real one, because for all intents and purposes it can never be a real one. She’s remembering, but not completely, so he’s never kissing Caroline. Just another one of her alter egos. Roma. Eleanor. Sarah. 

Never Echo. 

Echo disappears when suddenly she becomes all of them. But not one of them is her.

 

.

  
  
It ends, quite surprisingly, somewhere close to where it starts. 

A plea for help.

Paul’s this time.

He turns to Alpha, because Topher’s loyalty to the Dollhouse is far too great to be broken, and Alpha, well, has no loyalties to speak off. In truth, it all started with Alpha in the first place, a picture in an envelope on his desk. It’s only poetic to have it end with him.

“Caroline?” Paul asks carefully, and she stares at him with empty eyes. 

“Did I...?” she starts, but hesitates immediately. His heart skips a beat and disappointment washes over him. “Has it been five years?” she asks, and his eyes go wide. It hasn’t been five years at all, only half that many, and she really should know that. He doesn’t let it get to him, because Caroline is finally there, and that’s all that really matters.

“No,” he answers softly, and takes her hand in his, just like he did six months before when he became her handler. Now he’s just a man, a man she probably doesn’t even remember.

“Thank you, Paul,” she smiles.

 

.

 

They have to start all over again. 

 

 

 

**\- fin -**

 


End file.
